Systems and Methods for Video Surveillance

ABSTRACT

Surveillance systems and units that are secure, self-contained and readily moveable to satisfy changing surveillance needs are disclosed. The surveillance systems are capable of essentially indefinite operation by way of a battery system and solar panels. The surveillance systems include a unique telescoping mast that elevates a camera or other surveillance device, thereby improving surveillance capabilities while simultaneously deterring theft, vandalism, or other activity to disable the surveillance device. The surveillance units/systems also include an enclosure that contains electronic equipment to serve the surveillance purposes of the surveillance systems. The enclosure may also completely enclose the telescoping mast and any attached surveillance devices during storage or transport, providing an additional measure of security and mobility. The connections between the surveillance device and the electronic equipment may be entirely housed within the telescoping mast, thereby further discouraging tampering and enhancing the security of the surveillance systems.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No.60/942,111, filed Jun. 5, 2007, U.S. Provisional Application No.60/912,358, filed Apr. 17, 2007, and U.S. Provisional Application No.60/889,411, filed Feb. 12, 2007.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to video surveillance, and moreparticularly to systems and methods for use with mobile videosurveillance units.

2. Background and Related Art

Video surveillance systems for monitoring job sites and installationsare well known, and typically include on-site surveillance equipment,such as video cameras and infrared sensors, positioned at variousstrategic locations, to capture visual images and other data of a jobsite or installation. Such surveillance systems generally require astructure on which the camera or other device may be securely mounted ata desirable elevation. In typical situations, conventional surveillancesystems require installation of poles along with trenching and pullingcable for cameras and other electronic devices. The cost of installationis typically large, and the time required for typical installations islong, considering the necessary work of mounting cameras and othersurveillance equipment, trenching, pulling cables, etc.

Additionally, traditional surveillance systems lack flexibility for usewith special events, more temporary activities, smaller job sites andother sites with relatively short surveillance durations, and are notsuited for quick removal when no longer needed. A contractor may haveseveral jobsites in various stages of completion, with varying needs forsecurity. Storage yards and shipping docks may be full of valuablefreight and supplies at some times while at other times they could berelatively empty. A large sporting event or concert may bring crowds toa location for only a short duration of time. In each of thesesituations existing surveillance units and systems have proveninadequate to meet security demands.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Implementations of the present invention provide surveillance systemsand units that are secure, self-contained and readily moveable tosatisfy changing surveillance needs. The surveillance systems may becapable of operating on a power grid, but are capable of extended,essentially indefinite, operation apart from any dedicated power grid byway of a battery system that is rechargeable by way of attached solarpanels. The surveillance systems or units include a unique telescopingmast that elevates the camera(s) or other surveillance device(s),thereby improving surveillance capabilities of the surveillancedevice(s) while simultaneously deterring theft, vandalism, or otheractivity to disable the surveillance device(s).

The surveillance units/systems also include an enclosure that containselectronic equipment to serve the surveillance purposes of the units.The enclosure may also completely enclose the telescoping mast and anyattached surveillance device(s) during storage or transport, providing ameasure of security and mobility previously unattained in existingsurveillance systems. The connections between the surveillance device(s)and the electronic equipment may be entirely housed within thetelescoping mast, thereby further discouraging tampering and enhancingthe security of the surveillance systems.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

The objects and features of the present invention will become more fullyapparent from the following description and appended claims, taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings. Understanding that thesedrawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are,therefore, not to be considered limiting of its scope, the inventionwill be described and explained with additional specificity and detailthrough the use of the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 shows a side plan view of a surveillance unit in accordance withembodiments of the invention;

FIG. 2 shows a partial top plan view of the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows a simplified side plan view of the embodiment of FIG. 1with a telescoping mast in a fully-retracted position;

FIG. 4 illustrates an perspective view of an alternative embodiment of asurveillance unit;

FIGS. 5-11 show views of a gear box that may be used with a telescopingmast to extend or retract a section of the telescoping mast;

FIG. 12 shows a partially-cutaway view of an alternative gear box;

FIG. 13 illustrates components of an embodiment of a telescoping mast;

FIG. 14 shows a front side view of an alternative embodiment of asurveillance unit having solar panels;

FIG. 15 shows a top view of the embodiment of FIG. 14;

FIG. 16 shows a partially-transparent back side view of an embodiment ofa surveillance unit;

FIG. 17 shows a partially-transparent plan side view of an embodiment ofa surveillance unit with an extended telescoping mast;

FIGS. 18 and 19 show a trailer that may be used with embodiments of thesurveillance unit to make the surveillance unit portable;

FIGS. 20 and 21 show side views of solar panels that may be used withembodiments of the invention;

FIG. 22 shows a plan view of an embodiment of a surveillance unit withan extended solar panel;

FIG. 23 shows a plan view of an embodiment of a surveillance unit withan extended telescoping mast and extended solar panels;

FIG. 24 shows a plan view of an alternative surveillance unit withalternative or rotated solar panels; and

FIG. 25 shows a plan view of the embodiment of FIG. 24 with an extendedtelescoping mast and extended solar panels.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A description of embodiments of the present invention will now be givenwith reference to the Figures. Embodiments of the present invention willbe best understood by reference to the drawings, wherein like parts aredesignated by like numerals throughout. The Figures listed above areexpressly incorporated as part of this detailed description. It isexpected that the present invention may take many other forms andshapes, hence the following disclosure is intended to be illustrativeand not limiting, and the scope of the invention should be determined byreference to the appended claims.

Embodiments of the present invention provide surveillance systems andunits that are secure, self-contained and readily moveable to satisfychanging surveillance needs. The surveillance systems may be capable ofoperating on a power grid, but are capable of extended, essentiallyindefinite, operation apart from any dedicated power grid by way of abattery system that is rechargeable by way of attached solar panels. Thesurveillance systems or units include a unique telescoping mast thatelevates the camera(s) or other surveillance device(s), therebyimproving surveillance capabilities of the surveillance device(s) whilesimultaneously deterring theft, vandalism, or other activity to disablethe surveillance device(s).

The surveillance units/systems also include an enclosure that containselectronic equipment to serve the surveillance purposes of the units.The enclosure may also completely enclose the telescoping mast and anyattached surveillance device(s) during storage or transport, providing ameasure of security and mobility previously unattained in existingsurveillance systems. The connections between the surveillance device(s)and the electronic equipment may be entirely housed within thetelescoping mast, thereby further discouraging tampering and enhancingthe security of the surveillance systems.

Elements of embodiments of the present invention may be embodied inhardware, firmware and/or software. While exemplary embodiments revealedherein may only describe one of these forms, it is to be understood thatone skilled in the art would be able to effectuate these elements in anyof these forms while resting within the scope of the present invention.

Some embodiments of the present invention, described with reference toFIG. 1, may comprise a base enclosure 10 made of powder-coated steel,stainless steel, or any other suitable and secure materials ofconstruction. The base enclosure 10 may be reinforced with struts,beams, framing, and the like (not shown). The base enclosure 10 may beconstructed, so as to be dust-resistant, tamper-resistant andweather-resistant for all reasonable purposes. The base enclosure 10 maycomprise a substantially hollow enclosure adapted to accommodate a powersupply 18 and electronics equipment 16 for controlling a plurality ofsurveillance devices 12 mounted on a telescoping mast 20 such asscissor-lift assembly 14 or other suitable mast assembly. Theelectronics equipment 16 and surveillance devices 12 may be connected tothe power supply 18 by hardwiring or quick connect plugs andreceptacles. The power supply 18 may be an existing 120V or 220Vcommercial power source. Batteries 19, generators, solar collectors orother suitable means for providing alternative sources of power (notshown) may also be included in the base enclosure 10 to provide powerfor the electronics equipment 16 and for the surveillance devices 12.

Some embodiments of the present invention may comprise a distributionbox/platform 24, mounted to the upper portion of the telescoping mast20, for distributing electrical power from the power supply 18 to thevarious surveillance devices 12 which may be secured to the distributionbox/platform 24 with pivotal connectors or pan and tilt devices (notshown). The distribution box/platform 24 may be made of stainless steelor other suitable materials. Power, control and video cables 15 for thesurveillance devices 12 may be fed through openings in the telescopingmast 20 from the electronics equipment 16 and power supply 18 to thesurveillance device or devices 12. In some embodiments, the variouscables 15 may be fed through the hollow interior of the telescoping mast20 itself, as will be described in more detail below. Feeding thevarious cables 15 inside the telescoping mast 20 makes it more difficultfor criminals and vandals to access and cut the cables 15, increasingthe security provided by the surveillance system.

In some embodiments of the present invention, the surveillance devices12 may comprise many different pieces of equipment, depending on theapplication requirements. The surveillance equipment may comprise one ora plurality of cameras, for example video cameras, digital cameras, timelapse cameras, fish-eye lenses and/or infrared sensors. Othersurveillance equipment may comprise pan and tilt devices, zoom cameras,lights, transmission/receiver devices, motion detectors, light sensorsand sound detectors. The surveillance devices 12 and electronicsequipment 16 may operate via a wireless network, automatically accordingto preset instructions, or may be controlled by an operator at the baseenclosure or at a remote location. In applications where the system isto be used in a preprogrammed or automatic configuration, theelectronics equipment 16 includes the necessary timers and sensors. Inapplications where the system is to be remotely controlled by anoperator located some distance from the surveillance unit, theelectronics equipment 16 and the surveillance devices 12 include theappropriate transmitters and receivers as required to enable remoteoperation.

Some embodiments of the present invention may comprise a combination ofdigital video and computer networks. Some embodiments may comprisedigital cameras with Ethernet connections and support for InternetProtocol (IP) connections to computer networks. Some embodiments maycomprise a surveillance unit that may be part of a local network of oneor more surveillance units that communicate wirelessly with one or morelocations using well-known Internet Transmission ControlProtocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) techniques to allow monitoring ofthe surveillance devices at the home or business of a client or at anorganization that provides remote surveillance monitoring by simplytyping in the correct URL using any well-known web browser. Someembodiments of the present invention may comprise a portable laptopcomputer contained in a tray compartment 46 located on one side of thesurveillance system base enclosure 10.

In some embodiments of the present invention, where the mobile videosurveillance units will be used in an area of the country wherelightening is a common occurrence, the surveillance unit may beoutfitted with a lightening arrest system comprising a lightening rod70, an electrical discharge cable 72, and a ground 74. The electricaldischarge cable 72 connects the rod 70 with the ground 74. The ground 74is normally driven into the earth three to six feet to ensure goodconductivity with the earth.

In some embodiments of the present invention, a portable surveillanceunit may be designed with lift rings and/or forklift slots 88 to allowit to be easily transported from one job site location to anotherlocation using equipment such as a backhoe, front-end loader orforklift. In other embodiments the portable surveillance unit may bemounted on heavy-duty wear resistant skids to allow the surveillanceunit to be dragged short distances so as not to be in the way oftemporary jobsite activities or for redeployment to a more advantageoussurveillance location. In still other embodiments, the surveillance unitmay be mounted on an axle and wheels with a trailer hitch for transportas a trailer and configured to include appropriate signal, stop andbrake lights required for legal travel on public roadways. Someembodiments of the present invention may comprise support jacks oncorners or other locations of the surveillance unit which may be loweredinto position to stabilize the surveillance unit from the effects ofwind and other forces.

Some embodiments of the present invention, described with reference toFIGS. 1, 2 and 3, may comprise a base enclosure 10 with a scissor-liftassembly 14 and a telescoping mast 20 which is attached to thescissor-lift assembly 14 and may comprise telescoping segments which canbe raised and lowered along a predetermined vertical path duringoperating conditions. The scissor-lift assembly 14 may comprise a motor26 and a first threaded shaft 27 and second threaded shaft 28 which maybe engaged with the motor 26 to rotate in sync during operation and maybe conjoined to a plurality of pivotally-moveable support bracketswherein the rotation of the first threaded shaft 27 and second threadedshaft 28 cause the pivotally-moveable support brackets to be raised andlowered respectively depending on the direction of rotation of thethreaded shafts. As may be appreciated, using the scissor-lift assembly14, the surveillance unit may be transported with the telescoping mast20 in a lowered vertical position that prevents damage. At thesurveillance location, the telescoping mast 20 may be raised using thescissor-lift assembly 14 to an elevated operating position that providesimproved monitoring and may also prevent tampering with the surveillancedevice(s) 12 at the top of the telescoping mast 20, as the elevatedoperating position may be well out of easy reach of would-be criminalsand vandals. By way of example and not limitation, the elevatedoperating position may place the top of the telescoping mast 20 atheights of twelve to twenty feet or more, by varying the number andheight of the individual segments of the telescoping mast 20 and thescissor-lift assembly 14.

Some embodiments of the present invent may comprise a scissor-liftassembly 14 with three sections of pivotally-moveable support bracketswhich are pivotally-moveable relative to one another. The bottompivotally-moveable support brackets 39 may be mounted to the baseenclosure 10 and conjoined with the first threaded shaft 27 and thesecond threaded shaft 28 on one end so that they move vertically betweenretracted and expanded conditions upon rotation of the shafts. The toppivotally-moveable support brackets 37 may be mounted to the upperportion of the telescoping mast 20 and linked to the bottompivotally-moveable support brackets 39 through means of the middlepivotally-moveable support brackets 38 so that all three sections ofpivotally-moveable support brackets expand and retract together alongwith the attached segments of the telescoping mast 20. As will bereadily appreciated, the number of pivotally-moveable support bracketsmay be modified as may the length of each support bracket and segment ofthe telescoping mast 20 to achieve different deployment heights.

In some embodiments of the present invention the scissor-lift assembly14 and telescoping mast 20 may be operated by controls housed within thebase enclosure 10. In other embodiments the scissor-lift assembly 14 maybe operated by a portable laptop computer contained in a traycompartment 16 located on one side of the surveillance system baseenclosure 10 or may be pre-programmed to extend and retract according toa pre-set schedule. In still other embodiments, the scissor-liftassembly may be operated by way of remote commands.

Conditions on a typical jobsite can be harsh and demanding. A portablesurveillance system needs to be designed to withstand these job siteconditions as well as unpredictable weather situations and still be ableto continuously operate. The electronics, computers and batteries neededto operate the surveillance devices need to be protected from theseconditions at all times, even when the scissor-lift assembly 14 or otherelevational mechanism is deployed. Some embodiments of the presentinvention may be described with reference to FIG. 4. In theseembodiments, the base enclosure 10 of the mobile surveillance unit isconstructed with appropriate seals and gaskets 42 to provide aweatherproof, dustproof and vandal-proof enclosure for the contents ofthe base enclosure 10 when the scissor-lift assembly 14 is deployed aswell as protecting the surveillance devices 12 when the scissor-liftassembly 14 is retracted and stowed within the base enclosure. Inanother embodiment of the invention, the portion of the base enclosure10 used to store electronic components 16 is provided with additionalseals or gaskets to protect the electronic components when they are notbeing used by the operator. Batteries and other equipment (not shown inFIG. 4) may be accessible by means of a separate compartment opening 48in the base enclosure 10, which may be pulled open for access to thebatteries and other equipment. The compartment opening 48 may belockable, thus enabling authorized access to the equipment in the baseenclosure 10 while preventing access or tampering by unauthorizedpersons.

In some embodiments of the present invention, the surveillance unit canbe fitted with Global Positioning System (GPS) equipment 80, which canbe housed within the base enclosure 10 for locating the unit in case oftheft or unauthorized redeployment or for tracking the location historyof the unit for billing or other purposes. In some embodiments the GPSequipment 80 may be a self-contained unit small enough to be concealedpractically anywhere within the base enclosure 10 or even on thetelescoping mast 20 so as not to be noticeable and to reduce tamperingefforts. The GPS equipment 80, when combined with well known softwarepackages and services, may provide detailed reports of location androutes traveled for invoicing, quality-control and security purposes.Additional purposes of the GPS equipment 80 will be described furtherbelow.

One embodiment of the invention utilizes an alternative mechanism forextending or lowering the telescoping mast 20, namely a gear box 60. Oneembodiment of a gear box 60 is shown in FIGS. 5-11. The gear box 60contains various sets of wheels 62. When the wheels 62 of one gear box60 are spun, the individual segment of the telescoping mast 20immediately above the gear box 60 is elevated or retracted to alter theheight of the surveillance device(s) 12. The wheels may be spun byturning a drive 64 that may be accessible externally to the gear box 60.By way of example, the drive 64 may be turned by attaching a motor tothe drive 64. One example of a motor used for turning the drive 64 is adrill motor, such as a cordless drill. The drive 64 may have a keyedreceptacle that only receives a particular corresponding keyed drillattachment for security. When the keyed drill attachment is used, thedrill (cordless or corded) may then be used to adjust the height of thecorresponding segment of the telescoping mast by engaging the drive 64.Without the keyed drill attachment, turning the drive 64 may bedifficult or impossible.

Additionally or alternatively, access to the drive 64 may be physicallylimited. Access may be physically limited by keeping the lowest gear box60 within the base enclosure 10, and by having the telescoping action ofthe gear boxes 60 cause the next lowest gear box 60 elevated out of easyreach of a would-be vandal or criminal. The drive 64 may be connected tothe wheels 62 by way of one or more gears, belts, chains, or the like,as will be readily appreciated by one of skill in the art. Whenextension or retraction of a particular segment of the telescoping mast20 is not desired, a brake 66 may be activated within or external to thegear box 60 to prevent undesired motion of the segment. Control of thebrake 66 may be achieved by way of a brake actuator 68 that isaccessible from outside the gear box. As may be appreciated from FIG. 7,the brake 66 may work by clamping the segment of the telescoping mast 20immediately above the gear box 60.

The particular gear box 60 and wheels 62 that are selected determine theportion of the telescoping mast 20 that is elevated. The telescopingmast 20 may be fully extended in serial fashion by extending theuppermost segment of the telescoping mast 20 first, followed byextending each next lower segment in series until the lowest segment isextended. The telescoping mast 20 can be lowered in reverse order. Itshould be understood that each segment can be raised or loweredindependently as long as the appropriate gear box 60 is selected,reached, and actuated. However, accessing the gear boxes in serialfashion allows each gear box 60 to be accessed from the ground withoutrequiring a user to climb up a ladder or otherwise be elevated. When alower portion of the telescoping mast is engaged, any gear boxes 60 andsegments for the higher portion are elevated with the segment for theengaged gear box 60. Thus, upon retraction, the lowest set of wheelswill be engaged and lowered thereby permitting access to the nexthighest set of wheels which will then be within reach.

FIG. 8 further illustrates how the various segments of the telescopingmast 20 interact at each gear box 60. At each gear box 60, the gear box60 is fixedly attached atop a lower segment 50 of the telescoping mast20. The gear box 60 slidingly receives an upper segment 50 of thetelescoping mast 20, which frictionally engages the wheels 62. The uppersegment 50 also slidingly passes within the lower segment 50 to permittelescoping of the telescoping mast 20. To achieve this, it will beunderstood that the upper segment 52 has an outer diameter at leastslightly smaller than the inner diameter of the lower segment 50. Itwill be understood that the various segments of the telescoping mast 20such as lower segment 50 and upper segment 52 are hollow to allownesting and for other reasons that will be described further below.While FIGS. 5-11 illustrate a telescoping mast 20 with segments havingan approximately circular cross-section, those of skill in the art willreadily appreciate that other cross-sectional shapes may be used for thesegments of the telescoping mast 20. For example, the cross-sectionalshape may be oval or ellipsoid, or may have a square, hexagonal, orother polygonal shape. In addition, the segments may also include one ormore notches and/or protrusions to maintain a desired rotationalorientation of each segment relative to the next.

In some embodiments, the drive 64 with its external attachment point maybe replaced by a motor. In such embodiments, the telescoping of thevarious segments by the gear boxes 60 may be controlled by electronicsor other controls either at the base enclosure 10 or remotely. FIG. 12illustrates an alternate embodiment of the gear box 60, and those ofskill in the art may recognize that the embodiments of FIGS. 5-11 andFIG. 12 may be modified to include a motor to drive telescoping actionof the telescoping mast 20. In addition, those of skill in the art willalso appreciate that other systems may be used to cause telescoping ofthe telescoping mast 20, such as hydraulic and pneumatic lifts.

FIG. 13 more clearly illustrates the nesting of the various lowersegments 50 and upper segments 52 at the gear boxes 60 to form thetelescoping mast 20. As will be appreciated, the segment of thetelescoping mast 20 that is the upper segment 52 at one gear box 60 issimultaneously the lower segment 50 at the next higher gear box 60.

FIGS. 14-17 illustrate an alternate configuration of the base enclosure10. In this configuration, the base enclosure 10 includes a lower baseenclosure 30 and an upper base enclosure 32. In at least someembodiments, as illustrated in FIG. 15, the upper base enclosure 32 maybe openable to expose the telescoping mast 20 and to permit thetelescoping mast 20 to extend upward with the surveillance device(s) 12as described above. In some embodiments, the upper base enclosure 32 isopenable in that the upper base enclosure 32 includes two halves 34 thatsplit apart to permit access to the interior of the upper base enclosure32. The upper base enclosure 32 may have a mast opening 36 formed in it,that allows the upper base enclosure 32 to be re-closed with thetelescoping mast 20 fully or partially extended, and may be providedwith seals or gaskets that engage the fully- or partially-extendedtelescoping mast 20 to protect any equipment inside the upper baseenclosure 32 when it is closed. In other embodiments, no seals orgaskets are needed as all sensitive equipment is contained within thelower base enclosure 30.

FIG. 16 shows this embodiment in a stored position for transport. Inthis configuration, the telescoping mast 20 is fully retracted and isfully contained within the upper base enclosure 32 and the lower baseenclosure 30. As may be seen from FIG. 16, all three gear boxes 60 arefully contained within the upper base enclosure 32, and additional roomis available above the distribution box/platform 24 for the surveillancedevice(s) 12 attached to the distribution box/platform 24 to also becontained within the upper base enclosure 32, such as during periods ofnon-use or transport. FIGS. 22 and 24 illustrate how the surveillancedevice(s) may be stored within the upper base enclosure 32.

FIGS. 14-17 also show a pair of solar panels 40 that may be mounted tothe base enclosure 10 or to some other location of the surveillanceunit. The solar panels 40 may provide an additional power source for thesurveillance unit, and may allow the surveillance unit to functionindependently of any hard-wired or plug-in power source. As will benoted from FIGS. 14-16 and 20-25, the solar panels 40 may be of varyingsizes and configurations, and may be mounted on telescoping poles andmay be mounted so as to be rotatable into various positions to takemaximum advantage of the amount of available sunlight. The solar panels40 may have a stored position such as that illustrated in FIG. 14 whennot in use, and may have various operating positions, such asillustrated in FIGS. 22 and 23. FIGS. 20 and 21 show more detailed viewsof the solar panels 40 and the moveable connections 44 that may be usedto mount the solar panels 40 to achieve the flexibility describedherein.

As has been described above, embodiments of the surveillance unit may bemounted on a trailer for ready transport between surveillance locations.FIGS. 18 and 19 illustrate a trailer 54 suitable for use withembodiments of the invention. As has been indicated, the trailer 54 mayinclude a plurality of jacks 56 for stabilizing the trailer 54 duringsurveillance operations. In addition, for security purposes, a tongue 58of the trailer 54 may be removable or may rotate to and lock in anon-functional position to prevent would-be thieves, criminals, orvandals from moving or stealing the trailer 54 and surveillance unit.

As previously mentioned, the hollow nature of the telescoping mast 20provides advantages heretofore unknown in the art of surveillanceequipment. Specifically, the power, control, and video cables 15, andany other type of wiring or cabling desired between the surveillancedevice(s) 12 and the electronics equipment 16 and power supply 18 can becontained wholly within the telescoping mast 20. This provides numerousbenefits over existing systems, which typically provide the cablingexternal to the support, such as a coiled cable around a tower. Externalcables suffer from various problems. These problems include degradationof the cables' insulation due to ultraviolet (UV) exposure and exposureto the elements. Therefore, internal cables that are not exposed to UVradiation and harsh weather conditions typically last longer. Additionalproblems with external cables for surveillance systems include the easewith which a vandal or criminal can cut wiring or cabling, therebyeffectively disabling the surveillance systems. When the cables 15 arecontained entirely within the telescoping mast 20 (at least up to thedistribution box/platform 24), they are better protected fromvandals/criminals, who find it much more difficult to cut thetelescoping mast 20 than it would be to merely cut external cables. Asthe telescoping mast 20 may be made from any of a number of durable,weather-resistant materials, such as stainless steel, aluminum, or evenplastics, most persons desiring to sabotage the surveillance unit willfind it difficult to quickly cut and sabotage the telescoping mast 20.

While placing the cables 15 inside the hollow telescoping mast 20provides certain benefits, this location for the cables 15 also providescertain challenges that must be addressed. Specifically, as thetelescoping mast 20 is extended or retracted, the cables 15 move withinthe telescoping mast, and are subject to several problems, includingabrasion of the cables 15 on the insides of the various sections of thetelescoping mast 20 and bunching or knotting of the cables 15 duringrepeated extension and retraction of the telescoping mast 20.

To alleviate these problems, embodiments of the invention utilizeseveral unique features. First, to reduce abrasion and make sure thatthe cables 15 are able to easily slide within the sections of thetelescoping mast 20, the cables 15 may be encased within a woven nylonharness. The nylon harness may be woven in a fashion similar to theweaving used for the popular so-called Chinese finger cuffs. When thenylon harness is longitudinally compressed, its diameter expands, andthe wires may be easily passed through the harness. When the harness islongitudinally decompressed or expanded, its diameter contracts andtightens up around the wires. It is anticipated that any suitablematerial may be used for the harness. Nylon has been found to work wellfor the harness because it is tough and resistant to abrasion andbecause it is slick with a low coefficient of friction that allows it toslide easily during movement of the telescoping mast 20. In someembodiments, a washer-fluid tube may also be included with the cables 15in the harness to supply washer fluid to the surveillance device(s) 12to keep the surveillance device(s) 12 clean.

The harness addresses the issue of abrasion and friction. Embodiments ofthe invention utilize an additional feature to properly spool and wind(and unspool/unwind) the harness-encased cables 15 within the baseenclosure 10 and specifically the lower base enclosure 32 in embodimentshaving the lower base enclosure 32. This additional feature is arotating elbow 76, as depicted in FIGS. 1, 3, 16, 23, and 25. Therotating elbow 76 has a substantially-vertical axis of rotation, and isprovided at the bottom of the lower portion 22 of the telescoping mast20. It receives the cables 15 within the harness and the remainder ofthe cables 15 within the harness that is not required to reach withinthe telescoping mast 20 is coiled around the lower periphery of the baseenclosure 10 (i.e. the lower periphery of the lower base enclosure 30 inFIGS. 16, 23, and 25). As the telescoping mast 20 is extended upward, anadditional length of the cables 15 are drawn into the telescoping mast20 through the rotating elbow 76, which rotates to accept the cables 15during this operation. Then, as the telescoping mast 20 is retracteddownward, an additional length of the cables 15 pass out from thetelescoping mast 20 through the rotating elbow 76, and are re-coiledaround the periphery of the base enclosure 10 automatically as therotating elbow rotates 76. In this way, the rotating elbow 76 works bothto reduce the possibility of abrasion and to assist in winding andunwinding the cables 15 as they are deployed and retrieved duringtelescoping mast 20 operations.

The electronics equipment 16 connected to the surveillance device(s) 12through the cables 15 so deployed may be used for a variety offunctions. As described above, the electronics equipment 16 may beutilized to automatically and/or manually control functions of thesurveillance device(s) 12. Additionally, the electronics equipment 16may also be used to enable remote-based automatic and/or manual controlof such functions. In some embodiments, a portion of the electronicsequipment 16 may be located in or provided with the surveillancedevice(s) 12 at the top of the telescoping mast 20. As set forth above,the surveillance device 12 may include a camera, including an advancedclosed circuit television camera, such as those manufactured by Pelco,Inc. of Clovis, Calif. By way of example, a Pelco® model ES31PCBW24-2NPedestal Mount camera may be used.

The electronics equipment 16 may include encoders, video motiondetectors, and other devices such as those manufactured by BoschSecurity Systems of Fairport, N.Y. By way of example only, a Bosch® VIPX1 single-channel video encoder may be utilized with embodiments of thepresent invention. Such devices may include on-board video motiondetection and other features that enhance the security possibilitiesthat may be used with surveillance units, as will be describedhereafter. The electronics equipment 16, taken together, can perform awide variety of power and surveillance functions. By way of example, thepower supply 18 may include one or a plurality of batteries 19, asdescribed above. In some embodiments, the solar panel(s) 40 may not becapable of simultaneously charging all available batteries 19. Inaddition, the functions of the electronics equipment 16 may not requiresimultaneous use of all available batteries 19. Therefore, in someembodiments, the electronics equipment 16 may intelligently control theuse of one or more of the batteries 19 for surveillance purposes and mayalso intelligently control the charging of one or more of the batteries19 in groups or individually within the capability of the solar panel(s)40. Such control may also maximize the life of the batteries 19.

As another example, the electronics equipment 16 may include videostorage capabilities (i.e. a digital video recorder (DVR) or anintegrated hard drive to perform many of the same functions performed byconventional DVRs) and may intelligently determine what video to storeand when, whereby the video storage capability is not overwhelmed byirrelevant video or other surveillance data. The electronics equipment16 may evaluate surveillance and/or video information and mayintelligently determine to provide an alert to a remote monitoringstation, via e-mail, or by telephone as the surveillance and/or videoinformation is being obtained, so that any necessary response may beundertaken immediately. In this way, a crime may be detected and stoppedrather than merely recorded and subsequently prosecuted. Similarly, theelectronics equipment 16 may evaluate surveillance and/or videoinformation and may selectively record all or a portion of thisinformation to maximize data storage space during surveillance. As maybe appreciated by those of skill in the art, the electronics equipment16 may be programmed to perform a wide variety of functions of the typedescribed above. Other functions that may be achieved by the electronicsequipment include facial recognition, voice- or other-sound-activatedalarms, long-range communications such as by cellular or satellitecommunications, etc.

When such functions are combined with the portability, flexibility, andindependent operability that is provided by the embodiments of theinvention as described above, a number of functions become availablethat have not previously been available. By way of example, a job sitein a location lacking power or other hard-wired connections typicallynecessary for existing surveillance equipment may easily be monitored byone or more surveillance units as described herein. As set forth above,the surveillance units may easily be moved within a job site, asnecessary, such as during construction, to suit changing surveillanceneeds. In addition, as set forth above, alerts of suspicious or unwantedactivity may be provided immediately upon occurrence, and crimes may bestopped instead of merely prosecuted. Thus, surveillance units asdescribed herein promise significant installation savings as well assignificant savings in stopping crimes and other costly events.

As another example, a surveillance unit as described herein may beprovided with an alert or alarm button 78, and may be placed in alocation where an alarm or alert communication unit is needed. Oneexample of such a location is on a mountain peak or remote trail, on acommonly-traveled outdoor walkway of a university campus, in a parkinglot, etc. In such situations, the surveillance unit may remainessentially inactive until activated by the alert or alarm button 78.Alternatively, the surveillance unit may perform its functions asnormal. Upon activation of the alert or alarm button 78, thesurveillance unit may automatically direct its camera or othersurveillance device 12 to the location of the alert or alarm button 78,and may establish communication with a remote monitoring location (suchas by satellite or cellular communication, or by some other wirelesscommunication system). A person in the remote monitoring location may beprovided with the video feed, may control the camera or othersurveillance device 12, and may be able to communicate with the personactivating the alert or alarm button 78 and with others in the area.This may be useful in the event a hiker is injured, or in the event thata person on the university campus or in the parking lot is molested,robbed, or otherwise attacked, and may act as a deterrence forattackers. As embodiments of the surveillance units are provided withsolar power and are capable of operating indefinitely without beingconnected to any hard-wired power grid, the units are very flexible inthe manner in which they can be utilized.

Additional features of embodiments of the invention may be appreciatedby reference to FIGS. 14-17. These Figures illustrate various views ofan embodiment of the invention, and illustrate how various embodimentsprovide for a highly-secure, highly-transportable, compact andself-contained surveillance unit. Specifically, existing mobilesurveillance systems are typically not compact and are not secureagainst tampering, etc. Additionally, existing mobile surveillancesystems do not adequately protect the surveillance devices from damageduring transport or require removing the surveillance devices duringtransport. Embodiments of the invention solve these problems and providea compact, completely self-contained mobile surveillance system that issecured against tampering, etc.

Specifically, FIG. 14 illustrates what may be considered a frontperspective view of an exemplary surveillance system, FIG. 15illustrates a top perspective view of the same, FIG. 16 illustrates aback plan view of the system, and FIG. 17 illustrates a side partialplan view of the system. In FIG. 14, an electronics compartment cover 82is shown, and the electronics compartment cover 82 provides access to anelectronics compartment 84. As may be seen in FIG. 17, the electronicscompartment 84 is a narrow compartment disposed along one side of thelower base enclosure 30, and may have a compartment depth ofapproximately 20%-40% of the total depth of the lower base enclosure 30.The compartment depth may be varied as needed to substantially enclosethe electronics equipment 16 for the surveillance system. The width andheight of the electronics compartment 84 may be varied as needed withinthe overall dimensions of the lower base enclosure 30, but maysubstantially match the size of the electronics compartment cover 82, asdepicted in FIG. 14. In at least some embodiments, the electronicscompartment 84 may be manufactured of a high-strength material or may bereinforced so as to better prevent disruption of the tasks performed bythe electronics equipment 16.

As may be appreciated, a substantially free-standing surveillance unit,such as depicted, may utilize a number of batteries such as batteries19. By way of example, four batteries 19 may be included in abattery/main compartment 90 that is accessible by way of a battery/maincompartment cover 86. One embodiment of the battery/main compartmentcover 86 is depicted in FIG. 16. The battery/main compartment 90 mayinclude the portion of the lower base enclosure 30 not taken up by theelectronics compartment 84, and may include the lower portion 22 of thetelescoping mast 20. In addition, the battery/main compartment 90 mayinclude a coiled cable portion 92 that receives the cables 15 containedin the harness, as spooled by the rotating elbow 76. In someembodiments, the coiled cable portion 92 may be disposed between thelift rings/forklift slots 88.

As is well known, many batteries rely on various chemicals and acids tofunction/store energy. As is also known, many types of electronicsequipment are less than ideally compatible with such chemicals andacids. Therefore, it is generally desirable to keep most electronicequipment separate from the power-supplying batteries. Because of this,the electronics compartment 84 is provided separately from thebattery/main compartment. This is a type of physical separation. Toprovide further protection for the electronics equipment 16, embodimentsof the invention directionally control the flow of cooling air for thesurveillance system. Specifically, cooling air may be directionallyprovided so as to minimize the exposure of any leaking acids/chemicalsfrom the batteries 19 that would otherwise be exposed to the electronicsequipment 16. One or more fans may be provided that draw external airthrough vents in the electronics compartment cover 82, into theelectronics compartment 84 to cool the electronics equipment 16. Thefan(s) may then draw the air into the battery/main compartment 90 andmay push the air out of vents in the battery/main compartment 90 or inthe battery/main compartment cover 86. This uni-directional air flowbetter protects the electronics equipment 16 from unwanted potentialexposure to battery acids/chemicals.

As depicted in FIGS. 15 and 16, and as discussed above, the upper baseenclosure 32 provides a secure and protected location for any attachedsurveillance device(s) 12 during transport and storage of thesurveillance unit. Because of the compact nature of the fully-assembledsurveillance system, the system may be transported by trailer or in anyother way, may be easily deployed on location, and may be re-deployed asnecessary or desired, without requiring disassembly of the attachedsurveillance device(s) 12 and without concern that thieves, vandals,etc. might try to disable the surveillance system by interfering withthe equipment or severing connections between the various components ofthe system.

Thus, embodiments of the present invention provide an improvement in jobsite security and surveillance and other forms of surveillance,preventing theft, vandalism, and other harmful activities. Videosurveillance reduces the number of security guards needed to cover largeor remote areas while ensuring continuous monitoring of all areas of thejobsite. A mobile surveillance unit with a telescoping mast eliminatesthe cost of installing poles, trenching and pulling cable for cameras.The system can be fully operational in a fraction of the time requiredfor permanently mounted surveillance camera systems with much lowerinstallation costs. A mobile surveillance unit allows the property ownerto instantly set up temporary surveillance networks for special events,shipping yards, and construction sites, and quickly remove them when nolonger needed.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms withoutdeparting from its spirit or essential characteristics. The describedembodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrativeand not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicatedby the appended claims, rather than by the foregoing description. Allchanges which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of theclaims are to be embraced within their scope.

1. A surveillance system comprising: a substantially-enclosed and securelower base enclosure comprising: an electronics compartment; and a maincompartment physically separated from the electronics compartment; anupper base enclosure that is openable and that is attached to the lowerbase enclosure; and a telescoping mast, wherein a lower portion of thetelescoping mast is disposed inside the lower base enclosure, andwherein when the telescoping mast is in a fully-lowered position, theentire telescoping mast is contained within the lower base enclosure andthe upper base enclosure, whereby any surveillance devices attached atthe top of the telescoping mast are situated within the upper baseenclosure when the upper base enclosure is in a closed position.
 2. Thesurveillance system of claim 1, further comprising a surveillance deviceattached at the top of the telescoping mast.
 3. The surveillance systemof claim 1, wherein the lower portion of the telescoping mast iscontained within the main compartment of the lower base enclosure. 4.The surveillance system of claim 1, wherein the telescoping mastcomprises: a plurality of hollow nesting mast segments, wherein the mastsegments are configured to be slidingly received within one another toform the mast, wherein the plurality of mast segments comprises: aninnermost and uppermost mast segment having a smallest diameter; and anoutermost and lowest mast segment having a largest diameter; a pluralityof gear boxes wherein each gear box is fixedly attached to the top ofone of the plurality of mast segments not the innermost and uppermostmast segment, and wherein each gear box comprises: wheels configured tofrictionally engage the next inner and upper mast segment, whereby whenthe wheels are turned in a first direction, the next inner and uppermast segment is driven upward and whereby when the wheels are turned ina second direction opposite to the first direction, the next inner andupper mast segment is driven downward; and a drive configured to driveturning of the wheels.
 5. The surveillance system of claim 1, whereinthe telescoping mast comprises: a plurality of hollow nesting mastsegments, wherein the mast segments are configured to be slidinglyreceived within one another to form the mast; a plurality ofpivotally-moveable support brackets attached to the mast segments; athreaded shaft connected to at least one of the plurality ofpivotally-moveable support brackets; and a motor attached to thethreaded shaft to drive rotation of the threaded shaft, whereby rotationof the threaded shaft causes scissoring of the plurality ofpivotally-moveable support brackets and a corresponding telescoping ofthe telescoping mast.
 6. The surveillance system of claim 1, whereincables contained in a harness are disposed within the telescoping mast.7. The surveillance system of claim 6, wherein the telescoping mastfurther comprises a rotating elbow disposed within the lower baseenclosure at a lower end of the lower portion of the telescoping mast,wherein the rotating elbow spools and despools the cables within aportion of the lower base enclosure during telescoping of thetelescoping mast.
 8. The surveillance system of claim 1, wherein thelower base enclosure contains a plurality of batteries to power thesurveillance system.
 9. The surveillance system of claim 8, furthercomprising solar panels for recharging the batteries.
 10. Thesurveillance system of claim 9, wherein the electronics equipment isconfigured to intelligently control use of and recharging of thebatteries.
 11. The surveillance system of claim 1, further comprising: aglobal positioning system (GPS) device; and a wireless communicationsdevice.
 12. The surveillance system of claim 11, further comprising analert button on the lower base enclosure.
 13. A telescoping mastcomprising: a plurality of hollow nesting mast segments, wherein themast segments are configured to be slidingly received within one anotherto form the mast, wherein the plurality of mast segments comprises: aninnermost and uppermost mast segment having a smallest diameter; and anoutermost and lowest mast segment having a largest diameter; a pluralityof gear boxes wherein each gear box is fixedly attached to the top ofone of the plurality of mast segments not the innermost and uppermostmast segment, and wherein each gear box comprises: wheels configured tofrictionally engage the next inner and upper mast segment, whereby whenthe wheels are turned in a first direction, the next inner and uppermast segment is driven upward and whereby when the wheels are turned ina second direction opposite to the first direction, the next inner andupper mast segment is driven downward; and a drive configured to driveturning of the wheels.
 14. The telescoping mast of claim 13, furthercomprising a distribution box and platform attached at the top of thetelescoping mast.
 15. The telescoping mast of claim 14, furthercomprising a surveillance device attached at the top of the telescopingmast.
 16. The telescoping mast of claim 13, further comprising asurveillance device attached at the top of the telescoping mast.
 17. Thetelescoping mast of claim 13, wherein the telescoping mast is containedwithin a mobile surveillance unit comprising: a substantially-enclosedand secure lower base enclosure comprising: an electronics compartment;and a main compartment physically separated from the electronicscompartment; and an upper base enclosure that is openable and that isattached to the lower base enclosure; whereby a lower portion of thetelescoping mast is disposed inside the lower base enclosure, andwherein when the telescoping mast is in a fully-lowered position, theentire telescoping mast is contained within the lower base enclosure andthe upper base enclosure, whereby any surveillance devices attached atthe top of the telescoping mast are situated within the upper baseenclosure when the upper base enclosure is in a closed position.
 18. Thetelescoping mast of claim 13, further comprising cables to support anelectronic surveillance device at the top of the telescoping mast,wherein the cables are disposed within the hollow mast segments.
 19. Thetelescoping mast of claim 18, wherein the cables are contained in aharness that reduces abrasion on the cables by the telescoping mast. 20.The telescoping mast of claim 18, further comprising a rotating elbowdisposed at the bottom of the telescoping mast that automatically spoolsand unspools the cables as the mast is telescoped in and out,respectively.